About it still hung the collar of
pearls, and on the pearls the ring which the slave-woman had found in
her hair and tied there for safety. She took off the ring and placed it
back upon her finger. Then she walked to the rock, sat down and tried
to think. But for this, as yet her mind was not strong enough, for there
rose up in it vision after vision of blood and fire, which crushed and
overwhelmed her. All that went before the siege was clear, the rest one
red confusion.
While she sat thus the Roman captain hobbled from his pavilion, resting
on a crutch, for his leg was still lame and shrivelled. First he went to
Miriam's tent to inquire after her of the old woman, as was his custom
at the daybreak, then, learning that she had gone out of it, looked
round for her. Presently he perceived her sitting in the shade of the
rock gazing at the sea, and followed to join her.
"Good morning to you, daughter," he said. "How have you slept after your
long journey?" and paused, expecting to be answered with some babbling,
gentle nonsense such as flowed from Miriam's lips in her illness. But
instead of this she rose and stood before him looking confused. Then she
replied:
"Sir, I thank you, I have slept well; but tell me, is not yonder town
Tyre, and is not this the garden of my grandfather, Benoni, where I used
to wander? Nay, how can it be? So long has passed since I walked in
this garden, and so many things have happened--terrible, terrible things
which I cannot remember," and she hid her eyes in her hand and moaned.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353